Economic impact and preservation: a case study of the Big Thicket National Preserve in east Texas

Abstract

The Big Thicket National Preserve provides an excellent backdrop to test whether there is a correlation between economic impact and preservation. Conflicts over resources and land use blocked the preservation of the park for over forty years and it is these same issues that remain at the forefront of any political discourse on environmental friendly policies. With the passage of the National Environment Policy Act in 1969, the National Park Service has been required to submit environmental impact statements for any park development. Alternatives produced through these studies have permeated federal regulation and show that the nation has slowly been shifting focus away from government intensive protection to more local economic community. The dependent variable is the economic impact of the area while the independent variable is the preservation of the land and its effect. The relationship has been shown to be positive, which means that with the act of preserving the land, the local economy has benefited. By doing a case study, the detail within the study can be used to support the preservation of more land. It also demonstrates that a positive correlation between preservation and the local economy exists.